It's finally December, and Christmas is less than 20 days away, so it's time to really dive into the festive goodies, and for me that means cookies!

I'm a huge fan of the Co-op Irresistible range in general, whether it's their beef ragu ready meal, their delicious ice cream, or their yummy desserts, and their range of cookies are no different.

I couldn't resist the Spiced Salted Caramel & Chocolate Shortbread or the Irish Cream & White Chocolate Cookies and I promise that they taste every bit as good as they sound!

As with a lot of things at this time of year, they're definitely an indulgence so don't go eating the whole box, but they are perfect for when you curl up on the sofa in the evening with a hot drink in your hand, or for when guests come over.

If you need to you could even go for the gluten-free Salted Caramel cookies instead.

Let me know what kind of cookies you like at Christmas in the comments below, and stay warm, x

If you have any kind of dietary requirement you'll know that the holidays can be a tricky time, whether it's avoiding dairy or gluten, having nut allergies, preferring alcohol free or needing to watch sugar intake.

Luckily, the Co-op can help with at least a few of these things, and with the end of November looming and Christmas just around the corner, I was ready to try them out.

Now I don't have a milk allergy, but I do have a pretty bad lactose intolerance and I'm very sensitive to gluten so having options that mean I don't need to worry about that is a great thing.

I decided to stick to the sweet side of things this time, and picked up a milk free Santa Bar which was delicious let me tell you, some choc coins that I'm saving for Hanukkah (because we celebrate both) and Christmas Pudding that's both milk and gluten free. Yay!

There's lots of Free From choice at the Co-op, like gluten free Salted Caramel Profiteroles or mince pies, and there's plenty of vegan options too if that's important to you.

Having these products easily accesible really takes a bit of stress out of the Christmas shop if either you or someone in your family has a dietary requirement, so I'm really grateful that they're there!

Let me know how you manage special dietary needs over the festive season, and stay warm! x

As if last week wasn't good enough with mince pies, week 2 of Christmas with the Co-op is about snacks!

And let me tell you now, these are delicious.

There's lots of snacking options even a month away from Christmas, with festive flavoured crisps and salted caramel pretzel stars (which I tried last year and loved), but a personal favourite that I discovered last Christmas are these yummy Co-op Pigs in Blankets Crackers.

They have the perfect amount of crunch without being hard and incredibly morish so make sure you've got someone to share them with, lest you end up eating them all yourself. Eat them by themselves or dunked into the dip of your choice, they're a perfect late night snack and I know I'll be buying these again in the run-up to Christmas as this box is already empty!

Let me know what you like to stock your Christmas snack cupboard with and stay warm, x

The time has arrived... we are just over 6 weeks away from Christmas! And that means it's time to start preparing for the festive season. It also means there's a lot of yummy food on the shelves!

Like last year, I've joined up with the Co-op to tell you about the festive treats you can find in store in the run up to Christmas, so each week I'll tell you about one of my favourite products and hopefully give you a little bit of inspiration in the process.

This is week 1 and where else could I start but with mince pies. I don't know about you but for me the first mince pie I eat is the start of the holidays, more so than Christmas music or decorations.

There's a few options available instore but I couldn't resist these Co-op Irresistble All Butter Pastry Luxury Mince Pies, and I can confirm that they taste as good as they look! There were a couple of raised eyebrows last night when I sat down on the sofa with one in my hand, but it was far too yummy for me to care and I wasn't the only one munching away for long!

If mince pies aren't your thing, or if you're just not ready to start eating the festive food this early, why not take a look at the local gifting range in your nearest store and get a head start on your Christmas present shopping? I know I'll be picking up a couple of them for family in the next couple of weeks.

Let me know what you think: Is it too early to be eating mince pies? Do you even like them? When do you decorate? Whatever it is just drop me a comment down below!

Stay warm,x

It's that time of year once again folks. The clocks have gone back. The nights are getting longer. The mornings darker. The hours of sunlight less. I suffer from depression and anxiety all year round, but there's a noticeable difference when November rolls around, because I have SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

SAD (sometimes called the "Winter blues") isn't fully understood, and some people actually experience it in the summer instead, but its symptoms include: a persistent low mood that follows seasonal patterns, sleeping longer than normal or finding it hard to get up in the morning, and craving carbohydrates, amongst others. {For more info, the NHS has a section on SAD here}.

It can be a tricky thing to manage, especially when I think most of us in the northern hemisphere have been brought up thinking of the "winter blues" as normal. But there are things you can do, here are some of the things I try to keep my SAD under control:

• Sunlight - it sounds obvious right? But seriously, sunlight. I know we don't always get a whole lot of it in the winter here, but even just a few minutes standing outside even on a cloudy day can make a difference, and when the sun does shine soak it in (safely obviously). You can also try sitting near windows at work and home. (Don't forget to make sure you're getting enough vitamin D!)
  
• Light - this is two fold, one keep the room you're in during the day as light and airy as you can to stop you wanting to curl up under a blanket, and two, light therapy, I use my lamp every morning and I think it helps. I have this SAD lamp, which I set up in my peripheral vision (it's very bright) and leave on for 15-20 minutes while I work through my morning routine.
  
• Movement - I know I know, it's cold and dark in the mornings and who wants to exercise in that!? But I'm not talking about running a 5K before work. Just move your body. Do a few stretches while you have your SAD light on, that's how I fit it in. I do yoga and get my light therapy at the same time.
  
• Diet - This is another one none of us want to hear right? But while sugary carby foods can be what our bodies crave they almost exacerbate the tiredness, so stay hydrated and make sure you get your 5 a day!
  

And of course, if you're really struggling, as with any other mental health condition, go see your GP. Therapy or medication might be better options for you, and as someone who uses both, let me promise you there's nothing wrong with needing either!

So, stay hydrated, get moving in the morning, use the light, eat properly and above all remember, you're not alone.

Hope you all have a good winter! I'll be sitting in front of my lamp if you need me!

*This post may contain affiliate or referral links at no extra cost to you, the reader*